1. Technical Field
The invention relates to apparatus with an optical interleaver and de-interleaver and methods to operate such optical components.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may be helpful to facilitating a better understanding of the inventions. Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is prior art or what is not the prior art.
In wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) optical communications systems, data rates may be increased by packing more independent wavelength-channels in the selected optical transmission band. Such tighter packing results in narrower wavelength-channels. The narrower wavelength channels may be used with more spectrally efficient modulation formats, e.g., phase-shift keying formats and/or polarization multiplexing formats. The processing of such narrower wavelength-bands in a WDM system typically requires optical filters with narrower bandpasses.